[Leica] OT Nikon D700

[len-001 at verizon.net (Leonard Taupier)]

Actually the Nikon F has a reputation of being a very reliable  
camera. The reason is with the exception of the penta-prism, mirror  
and new mount, it was basically the S3 rangefinder body with the SP  
shutter. It was hard to go wrong. I would equate the Nikon F to the  
Leica M3, both very successful mechanical masterpieces. I have two  
Nikon F's and two Leica M's. All four cameras still work beautifully.  
And I still use them however the meter in one of the FTn finders is  
intermittent after 50 years and one of the M meters has died. But all  
four are still able to take wonderful photos. To me the next big step  
came with TTL meters and electronically controlled shutters, the  
Nikon FE which led to the F3 and finally the Leica M7. I believe all  
three of these cameras were very successful.

And as Mark comments so eloquently, "Leica and Nikon go together like  
peanut butter and jelly". Do they for me? You bet.

Len


On Mar 1, 2009, at 12:03 PM, Mark Rabiner wrote:

> The M8 is the first out camera for Leica of this hugely new  
> technology.
> When such thing like that happens I give a company some leeway.
> And in this case I don't necessarily invest in the product.
>
> What was the reliability of the first out Nikon F does anybody know  
> I don't.
> Id assume there were a few teething pains.
>
> It was supposed to have knocked the entire photo industry on its  
> ass making
> rangefinder cameras "obsolete" yet the Magnum people and many other  
> of the
> best people had a Leica M in their camera bag. In the same camera  
> bag as a
> Leica M.
> Leica and Nikon goes to gather like peanut butter and jelly.
> Brussel sprouts and butter.
>
> Most recreantly in my mind I think of how like Leica Nikon started  
> out as a
> lens company. Ok Leica was a microscope company but close enough.
> And both came out of WW1. Neither were really camera companies.
>
> The Nikon Corporation was established in 1917.
> Oskar Barnack made the first Leica prototype for E. Leitz Optische  
> Werke,
> Wetzlar, in 1913 and started production in 1925
>
> WW1 was 1914 to 1919
>
> Read the Nikon system book by by Peter Brackzo or Rotoloni and  
> they've got a
> Viso thing in there and the rangefinder glass ported over to SLR  
> versions
> and all the Macro gizmos just like the Leica collection books  
> showing the
> amazingly extensive system.
>
> Now When you get a Nikon you can pretty much assume its going to work.
> I think even more so than a new Canon. With the internet this stuff is
> easier to track.
>
> When the Leica M9 comes out its going to have a whole lot less bugs  
> than the
> M8.
> They've been there; done that.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Mark William Rabiner
>
>
>
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information